New Ulm weekly review., 1887-10-12
AUNT :HANNAH,' =

- - ~ ~ sAAslk-Asu
Every one is the better for having q
defined position, and / sometimes
fancy mine must be the .tgood crea-
ture" of the family.
It is large and scattered family
and gives ample scope for every kind
Ofusefulness. Time was when I was
the spoilt child OF it; but years have
hurried on, and the bright promise
was early nipped in the bud by the
death of MY dear parents, privileged
to pass away within twenty-four
hours of each other.
AS I LEFT the churchyard where the
sun shone softly down upon their un-
divided grave. and strove to realize
that henceforward those true and
tender hearts were sharers in the
glorious sunshine of eternal day, I
looked into the cold hard face OF my
eldest brother and knew that the days
ofsympathetic love in my old hcme
were over and done with for me.
Robert was not unkind or unjust. but
sympathy was q quality utterly want
ing inshis composition, and if he was
just and fair toward others, what on
earth could others want more, in
Heavens name? he would ask i'm
patiently.
All, well, justice is much; but love
and sympathy, what are they not
worth in all our lives, from the high
est lady in the land. whose sympathy
never fails in time of need, down to
the little school child, who will spare
a few precious crumbs of cake for the
hungry robin in it's path2
NY other brothers and sisters were
all married and scattered over the
world, and Roberts eldest children
were but few years younger than
myself. the youngest of their fathers
generation.
For some years I lived on in the
dear old home, and strove to be of
What use could. No one scrupled to
make use of me, am bound to say,
and by degrees the family motto SEEM
ed to be: "Aunt Hannah will dc it..
She won't mind"
Did she mind? Sometimes think
she did.
The young ones were growing up,
and to them my few additional years
constituted, if not old age, at least
advanced middle age. Little did they
think, while their fimble feet whirled
TO Aunt Hannah's playingl could
play, and for many reasons threw my
heart into doing my best for their
dance music) little did they think,
say, how my own shoes were twitch-
ing under the piano with longing to
sbe given a chance OF a turn myself.
One night overheard a sim young
Gnardsboy murmur to my niece:
but, / say, won't your aunt be
tired. playing SO long?'
Tired! Oh, no, she won't mind"
responded Edith. "She likes it.
Ibent my head over the piano and
Rulped down the choke that. almost
overpowered me as I steadily marked
time in that valse tune of many men,
ories. Up before the eyes Of my men,
ory rose that evening, seven years be-
fore, upon which my future life had
seemed to hinge. 4 was twenty then
and had been for two years an inmate
OF my brothers home. was twenty
seven now, and wasstill considered too
youngto have q home of my own by
my elder relations. too old for young
lady amusements by the younger gem
eration.
So steadily played on, and my
thoughts floated away backward to
that evening ] have limited at. I saw
once more small, dark-haired girl,
with hazel eyes and a far-away look
in them, and over her bent a broad
rshouldered, curly headed young giant,
whose voice trembled as hesaid, ..Goa
bless you, darling little Hannah, will
come tomorrow and see Robert and
YOU"
But oh, Mike, Mike, why did you
never cOne-neVer, never, and the
snext thing that heard was that you
had gone to India the following week,
and the year after / heard that YOU
were married. And oh, what had /
NAOAS1 "AAebV Ac1Sl - OO10D W eu0SeEV6
such blow as this?
Had ! misunderstood him? Good
Heavens! all shown that thought
he loved me, and he had meant moth
ing and taken fright and done the
most merciful thing he could by van
iishing from out OF my life2
Night and day ! wearied myself to
think out this agonizing puzzle. Speak
to Robert. / dared not. What could
he think OF a girl who had admitted
she loved some one, when the, some
one had too clearly not wished for her
love?
Roberts wife was wrapped up in he,
babies. and on the only occasion on
which / had braced my heart to ask
her advice, had answered me through
the reiening instant: "Tell her she
muttent be 'toopid and glnm, my
q TootseeWootsee; see mutt 'tum and
play WIZ 90, my precious, muttent